OT: Parking Entrapment at UofA?

At lunch I ran over to an establishment that rhymes with hokohama rice bowl in Tucson and parked in their parking lot. I ran over to Subway to grab a sub for a coworker for 5 minutes and then returned to grab a bowl at the rice bowl. In that 5 minutes they had gotten my car up on wheel holders, were slim-jim-ing my door and had all the paper work filled out.

How is this possible if they aren't just sitting in wait? How could they ascertain that I was indeed abandoning my car in their parking lot to go to classes? Is that entrapment or just unfair? Am I just whining (seems so really)?

Could I order takeout from them and then have their delivery driver towed in my parking lot because he had wasn't here on official business?

$100 to get my car off the jacks and this post is all I have to show for my adventures.

Watch out for the West University District businesses. They seem to be padding their bottom line with towing fees.

At lunch I ran over to an establishment that rhymes with hokohama rice bowl in Tucson and parked in their parking lot. I ran over to Subway to grab a sub for a coworker for 5 minutes and then returned to grab a bowl at the rice bowl. In that 5 minutes they had gotten my car up on wheel holders, were slim-jim-ing my door and had all the paper work filled out.

How is this possible if they aren't just sitting in wait? How could they ascertain that I was indeed abandoning my car in their parking lot to go to classes? Is that entrapment or just unfair? Am I just whining (seems so really)?

Could I order takeout from them and then have their delivery driver towed in my parking lot because he had wasn't here on official business?

$100 to get my car off the jacks and this post is all I have to show for my adventures.

Watch out for the West University District businesses. They seem to be padding their bottom line with towing fees.

Sorry about the rant. Just been stressed recently.

That SUCKS.

Back in Chicago, the towing companies would have someone sitting in a car with a two-way radio just waiting for someone to leave their car on the property while doing just what you were, even for a matter of minutes. You would come back and the car would be gone, usually resulting in a $185 towing and impound fee, which I am sure is being split between the business and the tow company.

I HATE Towing Companies, such a racket and all they do is inconvenience you at your expense.

yeah I am not pleased. Still I did leave their property for a few minutes but still. Though the threat of the loss of a few dollars seems not overly to concern a business next to 35000 starving students.

The biz allows the towing companies to sit in wait....towing companies generally do not throw a portion of the revenue to the biz. What the biz get's in return is a parking lot with available spots. The biz has no say so in who gets towed....just the driver of the tow who gets paid per tow. No one is directly responsible....everyone gets what they want....except for the tow-ee.

Don't pay when you're towed

I am not a lawyer, however, if I understand the law correctly, when you go to the tow company to pick up your car they have to release it to you even if you don't pay. If they’re unwilling to release your car, you can call the police and force them to. The most the tow company can do is bill you after that.

Was this a permit-only or metered lot? I can't see how they could tow you away unless you were in violation of something. That being said I Haaaaaate the U of A parking Nazis. I used to get ticketed in a lot I had a permit for just because the permit was lying on my dash not the rear view mirror. I had to take time out of my day to challenge the ticket and prove I indeed did have a permit to park there. I have seen the people on foot wait for a meter to run out.

I am not a lawyer, however, if I understand the law correctly, when you go to the tow company to pick up your car they have to release it to you even if you don't pay. If they’re unwilling to release your car, you can call the police and force them to. The most the tow company can do is bill you after that.

It's a crazy concept. A "Company" stealing something, when locked. Then charging your to get it back...If you did that to a person, you'd get 25 to life...

It's a crazy concept. A "Company" stealing something, when locked. Then charging your to get it back...If you did that to a person, you'd get 25 to life...

yeah but there is a warning that if you break their rules, as they are, this will happen to you. Kinda like repo man.

I love the concept that they are essentially rogue companies enforcing a businesses right to have an open parking lot but with no direct feedback to the business in question. Seems kinda pirate-y to me.

While it sucks, think about it from the business perspective. Part of staying in business is having parking spots for your customers. Part of their rent goes toward those spaces. Now, I'm not from Tucson, but I'd imagine students parking in that lot is a big issue (otherwise the tow trucks wouldn't be standing by).

It's an imprecise analogy, but imagine your neighbor or some stranger parking in your driveway or on the street blocking your driveway. You'd want something done about that, wouldn't you?

As for the relationship between the tow company and the business, the tow company is probably contracted by the firm that actually owns the real estate, not any particular business in the complex.
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Saw this one on the peoples court. (I,m a Loser) You got no case. You cant park at the resturants lot, go somewhere else then come back. Even If you intended to get a rice bowl, even if you got the rice bowl first. The restaurant doesn't get money from the tow company, he tow company is providing them with a service.

And the tow company can hold your car till you pay. and charge a storage fee.

And the tow company can hold your car till you pay. and charge a storage fee.

I think this may vary depending on the city and the kind of parking violation. For example, I think some cities in Arizona have regulations such that, as to private parking violations, you are entitled to the car from the tow lot without paying fees as long as you can prove ownership. I am just guessing on this, but I do have some legal education.

In any case, as to rockcrusher's adventure, I think it is fairly clear he was parked on private property contrary to the posted parking parameters.

I think this may vary depending on the city and the kind of parking violation. For example, I think some cities in Arizona have regulations such that, as to private parking violations, you are entitled to the car from the tow lot without paying fees as long as you can prove ownership. I am just guessing on this, but I do have some legal education.

In any case, as to rockcrusher's adventure, I think it is fairly clear he was parked on private property contrary to the posted parking parameters.

I hate the law. Well actually I hate being stupid and ignoring the law. Dang.

Wapner

Originally Posted by ggnarl

Saw this one on the peoples court. (I,m a Loser) You got no case. You cant park at the resturants lot, go somewhere else then come back. Even If you intended to get a rice bowl, even if you got the rice bowl first. The restaurant doesn't get money from the tow company, he tow company is providing them with a service.

And the tow company can hold your car till you pay. and charge a storage fee.

That happened to my buddy at Tay-co Bell on Speedway/Campbell Monday morning. The scum that is the towing company have been trolling the lots at the U lately. Seems like a good way to get a tow truck driver shot.